“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”— Albert Schweitzer

D, I was writing a song for our wedding day. It's not finished, but it began "You are my legendary love; my wild wolf; my mourning dove..."

All my life's days were gray days. I didn't know anything else. Until your companionship and your love, laughter, and song brought me into a field of color. You loved me with your whole self, sweet treasure.

Every day I lived in a confusion of deafening silence and solitude, until the day your rich and vibrant voice fell on my ears and awakened inside me our sweet song of tenderness and hope.

My cherishing of you ever deepens, a lifetime of devotion, and now beyond life, I find my cherishing of you continues to deepen. I love you helplessly, eternally.

I pray you peace and comfort, joy and love. I pray you freedom, easy bliss, contentment, rest, happiness. I bet that gorgeous laugh of yours is sounding far and wide ... I bet there's music, and that you play, that any soul who meets you there is warmed and charmed just like when you were here.

I thank the Divine humbly for what time we were given to share this earthly passage, punitive sentence that it is. I learned from you what happiness feels like.

My love, sweetest soul, always, always.